Former assistant dean at Pat Robertson's Regent Univ and his wife plead guilty to child sex abuse

[ccharles000]

A former assistant dean at Regent University’s law school and his wife pleaded guilty today in Virginia Beach Circuit Court to child sex abuse charges.

Stephen Lee McPherson, 40, and Melina Ann McPherson, 37, both of Chesapeake, entered plea agreements during separate hearings today to charges of taking indecent liberties.

The charges stemmed from incidents between 1996 and 2000, when the McPhersons served as house parents for three sisters at Hope Haven Children’s Home on North Landing Road. Hope Haven is a Christian-based shelter run by Union Mission Ministries, which was directed by Stephen McPherson’s grandfather, the late Rev. Ted Bashford.

Court records show Stephen McPherson repeatedly molested two of the sisters under his supervision and manipulated them by citing Bible verses that he said justified the abuse. Melina McPherson engaged in sexual acts with the third sister, cited Bible verses to justify her actions and told the victim that “they had a special relationship,” according to court records.

Stephen McPherson already is serving time on related sex abuse charges. He pleaded guilty in January to sexually abusing the two girls in Chesapeake. The McPhersons moved to Chesapeake in 2000 and took the three sisters there after adopting them, records show.

He was ordered to serve 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to forcible sodomy and object sexual penetration charges.

As part of the plea agreement brokered by his attorney, Lawrence Woodward Jr., and Commonwealth’s Attorney Harvey Bryant, Stephen McPherson agreed to serve three years in prison in exchange for pleading guilty.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/09/former-regent-assistant-dean-wife-guilty-child-sex-abuse

[Captain Hilts]

1. "Pleaded guilty to sexual penetration charges." You just can't, CANNOT make up this stuff. nt

[mrbarber]

21. 3 fucking years.

And I"m sure the monster will be preaching the holy word while incarcerated, letting other convicts see the light.

I hope he is locked up general. Let's see if is Jebus can protect him than.

[PA Democrat]

23. And 40 DAYS for the wife who

"engaged in sexual acts with the third sister, cited Bible verses to justify her actions and told the victim that “they had a special relationship,” according to court records."

I hope the judge does not accept these plea agreements. These monsters need to be kept away from children as long as possible.

[Blue_Tires]

34. irony of ironies... the victim asked for a light sentence because McPherson has kids at home?!?

Melina McPherson agreed to serve 40 days in exchange for pleading guilty. Bryant said he agreed to that term because the victim did not want to see McPherson jailed, largely because the McPhersons have two young sons.

Circuit Judge A. Joseph Canada Jr. accepted the guilty pleas but delayed a ruling on whether to accept the plea agreement. He set a Sept. 16 sentencing hearing for Stephen McPherson.

He also revoked Melina McPherson’s bond and ordered that she be jailed pending an Oct. 7 sentencing hearing. “I’m going to honor the plea agreement,” the judge said, “but I think she ought to be in jail right now.”

[Hepburn]

41. The children have not been removed????????

WTF....:wow:

What the hell if WRONG with that picture!?!?!?!?!

[redqueen]

2. Three years. Three.

This makes me want to cry... or scream... both.

:cry:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. I can assure you that the girls' sentences are far longer

Those who are survivors of sexual abuse and rape can have flashbacks and psychological problems the rest of their lives. Theirs is a sentence that never comes to an end.

[redqueen]

8. You don't need to tell me.

First hand experience here.

[glinda]

18. here too

[Betsy Ross]

32. Another victim here.

I started to work with a psychologist on this at age 55. You never fully recover.

[CoffeeCat]

38. Me too...

Five years of intense therapy for PTSD. I'm doing well, but you never, ever recover
from the damage.

[RagAss]

3. Animal Bastards !

[marew]

33. Please don't bring animals into this.

This isn't something animals do, only done by the scum of the "human" race.

[Taverner]

4. "citing Bible verses that he said justified the abuse"

Nuff said

About that religion thing?

[gratuitous]

13. What about that religion thing?

Are you saying that it's because of religion that Mr. and Mrs. McPherson victimized these girls? Or that they used religion as a cover for their monstrous acts? There is a difference, although that seems to be lost on a lot of people once they haul out the broad brush and start painting their bigotry in bold strokes.

[Taverner]

14. No I'm saying you can justify ANYTHING by saying its the will of God

And therein lies the danger of religion...

Tell me that's not dangerous

[gratuitous]

15. Well, by all means then

Let's Do Something About The Danger of Religion.

I'm all ears: What's your proposal?

[Taverner]

16. Do nothing

Look I'm not saying we should do anything about it

Let people say whatever damned crazy shit they want

But we should recognize the threat posed by this kind of thinking - - let's just skip religion

There are plenty of beliefs not rooted in reality. Take David Icke. Nothing religious about him in the least. Batshit crazy. Dangerous thinking too - that Jews are shapeshifting reptiles out to enslave humanity.

We need to teach that anytime you come upon information, you have to think critically.

So you saw a spaceship - what makes you think it was? Why not a plane? Did anyone else witness this?

That's all I'm saying.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

28. I agree with you

The best defense against con men and predators is critical thinking. Thanks for clarifying you position.

[jotsy]

39. Diffuse the awe of it.

I describe myself as a student of faith, and as such, deeply opposed to the confines of religious doctrine. It's an interesting place to stand that I find requires defending more often than I care to admit. Sooner or later, a couple of familiar questions make it into the conversation.

"The bible was written by people interpreting the will of God, are we not entitled to our own interpretation?"

"If God wanted such subservient beings, why did he make us so willful?"

"Do you really believe any deity deemed deserving would condone the spilling of innocent blood?"

I don't know how you get people to stop trying to speak for a supreme being, so you I guess we have to try to create some doubt in potential audiences. To insist that the glory of self governance lies within, and no external human force is more or less likely to provide tighter communion with a creator. Our hearts and heads are the only necessary churches, the rest is window dressing, special flavors and fund raising, much like the rigged parlor games at any amusement park.

After all isn't this a simple question about which God might prefer, faith or religion.

Have to say, among my favorite expressions comes courtesy of a Survivor contestant from a few seasons back, a seasoned asian gentleman (I believe his name was Yao man,) who boiled a great philosophy of life down to six easy words.

"Love many, trust few, harm none."

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

27. You can justify ANYTHIING with anything a victim responds to

That's the point of the manipulator and con artist. If the person will do their bidding because they quote the Communist Manifesto, the con artist will quote the Communist manifesto. I knew a car salesman who was as crooked as they come, who bragged about sizing up his next "sale", and saying, "Yeah, I can talk Christian if they are Christian, and Good Old Boy if they are a good old boy." That's the point. People like this, manipulators, use whatever will get them what they want.

And no, you cannot say that something is "God's will" just because you say it. Yeah, you might fool some of the believers by doing that, but not every one, and I daresay not many.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

24. A manipulator quotes anything he or she thinks will persuade the victim

to do his/her bidding. I know one guy who quoted John Lennon to a gullible 17 year old, who only figured out later what was really going on and bailed out of the car.

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. A non-accredited Christian rightist being a hypocrite sex abuser?!?!?!

I can't believe it.

Not at Regent! They're CHRIIIIIIIIISTIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANS!!!!!!! They follow JEEEEEEEZZZZZZUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!

Asshole. Throw him in jail for the rest of his life. Him and the rest of the Moral Majority/Conservative-Christian/"Concerned Christian" hypocritical fuckwipes.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Sexual predators tend to gravitate towards jobs

that give them authority over children. So you see people in the ministry, coaches, teachers, and the like who abuse their positions so they can abuse children. If they don't quote Bible verses, they use other words to psychologically manipulate their victims.

The only thing a bit unique in this situation is the wife's involvement.

[lisa58]

9. that is disgusting

[chaplainM]

10. An absent-minded Pope Benedict tried to cover it up.

"Wait, he's a Protestant? Silly me. Never mind."

[leeroysphitz]

12. Nice.

[KansDem]

11. You know, it's sick enough when the husband engages in this kind of behavior...

Court records show Stephen McPherson repeatedly molested two of the sisters under his supervision and manipulated them by citing Bible verses that he said justified the abuse. Melina McPherson engaged in sexual acts with the third sister, cited Bible verses to justify her actions and told the victim that “they had a special relationship,” according to court records.

...but when the wife joins in, it's just...doubly sick!


here's the sicko...


I wonder which "Bible verses" they were reciting?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

30. I know of no Bible verses that they could use

without a lot of "interpreting", or stringing different verses from different parts of the Bible out of context. Bet they either did that or rattled off something that isn't even there. Remember, they were authority figures to these girls.

[TokenQueer]

37. Ummm... Lot impregnated his daughters.

Of course the bible puts the blame for this act on the two women - they had to get him drunk to pull it off. :eyes:

[lib_wit_it]

40. Honor thy (surrogate) father and mother? His face will give me nightmares.

[Soylent Brice]

17. color me shocked.

[Mist]

19. That this happened with someone related to Regent U. surprises me not one bit. What is

it about Fundy freaks and kiddie raping?

[Pangolin2]

20. The family that preys together...

:shrug:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

22. Monsters.

Just fucking monsters.

[malaise]

26. Why do so many of these monsters hide in

Fundie religious institutions

[SalmonChantedEvening]

29. Think Willie Sutton and banks.

It's where the children are, and where they feel safest.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

31. Easy pickings

The fundamentalist mindset is one to accept authority, especially religious authority, without question. This is why the position of fundamentalist minister attracts the predator and the con artist. It's much easier to get away with it.

[femrap]

25. fatherfuckers. nt

[ccharles000]

35. kick

[Initech]

36. Ah the good ol' morals and values crowd at work.

[laughingliberal]

42. I was once in a therapy group for survivors of childhood sexual abuse

All the various religions were well represented, believe me. When the scandals regarding Catholic priests started to gain a lot of attention the therapist expressed the view that it was representing an anti-Catholic bias in the media as it is no less prevalent in any religion in this country but the others were not being reported on.

[PassingFair]

46. The "others" did not generally have a SYSTEM in place to protect the abusers.

THAT is why the Catholic CHURCH has been so
exposed to the lawsuits.

[cascadiance]

43. A pattern for conservative colleges... Hillsdale had its president in an incestuous affair...

... that ultimately lead to a tragic suicide!

They are such a bastion for demonstrating the "holy values" that they are supposed to be teaching!

From the school that gave us the likes of Erik Prince of Blackwater, Howard "Istanbul is Baghdad" Kaloogian, and Chris Chocola, former congressman and now president of Club for Growth.

http://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/15/us/scandal-rocks-a-conservative-campus.html?pagewanted=all

[Joanne98]

44. Child molesters are always quoting the Bible!

[mod mom]

45. Wonder if this will make the MSM, or get buried. rec'd